WSP08192

• File Number: 8240.200.38.A
• Description: Coordinated Reservoir Operations
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/1997
• Author: CWCB
• Title: 1997 Coordinated Reservoir Operations Bypasses for Endangered Fish - Annual Summary of Operations for 1997 to Benefit the Endangered Fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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UPPER COLORADO RIVER RECOVERY IMPLEMENTA TION PROGRAM
COORDINATED RESERVOIR OPERATIONS
1997 OPERATIONS REPORT

I. Introduction

The Water Acquisition Committee (WAC) of the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish
Recovery Program (the Program) proposed the Coordinated Reservoir Operations Study
(CROS), in 1994. This is the fIrst year of joint reservoir operations with the reservoir operators
[Colorado River Water Conservation District, Denver Water, Northern Colorado Water
Conservancy District, Southeastern Water Conservancy District, City of Aurora and City of
Colorado Springs and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau)], State Engineer's Office (SEa),
Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the
National Weather Service (NWS). The objectives were identification and evaluation of potential
opportunities to coordinate bypasses of inflows from various reservoirs to enhance habitat in the
IS-Mile Reach of the Colorado River. These bypasses would likely have passed through the
reservoirs during the runoff period. Ccoordinated reservoir operations simply moves those
bypasses to the peak of the runoff hydro graph. The focus of this effort is to enhance spring peak
flows, which are important to spawning and improvement of aquatic food sources. Coordination
and modifIcation of operations were voluntary and occurred within current authorizations and
guidelines and without affecting project yields to federal and non-federal reservoirs.

The initial study began in March 1995 with the establishment of a core study team representing
large reservoir owner/operators and major water management entities in the basin. The fIrst
efforts of the team were to clarify the objectives of the study, create a Memorandum of
Understanding committing the entities to the study effort, and develop an outline of tasks to
guide the direction of the study effort towards a coordinated reservoir operation process.

This initial study provided the following:

. Analysis of potential operational alternatives
. IdentifIcation of constraints
· Listing of issues to be addressed by the Recovery Implementation Program (RIP)
· Process of coordination to enhance flows in the Reach.

One of the early efforts of the team was to address creation of a unifIed accounting system for
the Colorado River to account for contributions and facilitate coordination of releases. Current
accounting on the river is done in a somewhat fragmented manner between major operating
entities. The team is currently developing a unifIed accounting system with the Water Division 5
Engineer's offIce and in coordination with the Colorado River Decision Support System
(CRDSS) effort to ensure that accounting logic is consistent.

Major facilities with potential for coordination have been identifIed and a list of parameters
influencing their operations has been assembled. These parameters include physical and
operational parameters, traditional operations, current commitments, and authorization,
organizational and legal guidelines for the facilities. This effort has helped defIne the
institutional boundaries and constraints on coordination and discretionary operations.

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